This invention provides a battery-powered screwdriver with an integral bit holder in which a plurality of different bits may be stored.
Battery-powered screwdrivers are becoming increasingly popular. A variety of different bits can be used with such screwdrivers. Commonly, the bits are stored apart from the screwdriver. That can be inconvenient; in many cases, it would be more convenient if the bits were stored on or in the screwdriver itself. This would give the user ready access to a supply of different bits, thus avoiding the need to locate and manipulate a separate bit storage container.
Various prior art manually operated screwdrivers have integral bit storage capability. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,265,504 issued Nov. 30, 1993 discloses a xe2x80x9cCartridge Type Screwdriverxe2x80x9d having a bit storage magazine within the screwdriver""s handle. A plurality of different bits are held in place by clips provided around the circumference of the storage magazine. By pulling a cap longitudinally away from the handle, one may slidably withdraw the magazine from the handle to expose the bits. A particular bit can be selected and removed from its clip. The user then presses against the cap to slide the storage magazine back inside the handle.
Unlike a manually-operated screwdriver, which can be provided with a hollow handle suitable for receiving a bit storage magazine, a battery-operated screwdriver has no readily apparent space for receiving a bit storage magazine. The present invention solves that problem to facilitate integration of a bit holder and battery-operated screwdriver in a relatively compact configuration and without impairing the functionality of either the screwdriver or the bit holder.
The invention provides a bit holder for a battery-powered screwdriver. A compartment is formed on one end of the screwdriver, opposite the tool bit driving end of the screwdriver. A sleeve mounted in the compartment can be slidably moved between open and closed positions. A plurality of bit holding clips are fixed around the sleeve""s outer circumference. A shaft extends through the compartment. One of the shaft""s ends is fixed at the compartment""s forward end. The sleeve is slidably mounted over the shaft""s opposite end.
An end cap is fixed on the sleeve""s rearward end. An internal, radially outwardly enlarged circumferential recess is provided on the cap""s forward face. A radially flexible retainer is fixed on the shaft""s rearward end. The retainer flexes radially outwardly into the recess when the bit holder is in the closed position, thereby retaining the bit holder in the closed position. When the bit holder is in the closed position, application of a force to move the end cap rearwardly away from the compartment flexes the retainer radially inwardly and away from the recess.